Shadow And Starshine
by skysedge
Summary: Riff is receiving letters from someone claiming to love him and can't help but reply, despite the threat it poses. No good can come of shadow and starshine colliding. -Admitting the pairing defies the point. Work it out. It's easy!-
1. The letter

**This hit me as I was walking home today and I had to write it. Sort of a mystery I guess but not a very clever one. It will be more cute than anything. Sorry for the useless summary, it was too short to allow me to say anything of more meaning. This chapter will let you work out the plot.**

**_The Earl Cain Saga and all its characters and settings belong to Kaori Yuki, if they were mine, it would be very different and nowhere near as compelling._**

* * *

The letter had been lying on the windowsill when Riff had woken up.

He couldn't recall leaving the window open and his door as always locked but somehow, the letter had turned up. At fist, he was hesitant about opening it. It may have been a trap sent by Delilah, a trick from one of the many enemies of the Hargreaves or…well, it could have been anything. He knew he should show it to Cain and have it examined but…for two reasons, Riff opened it anyway.

The first reason was that the envelope was black. It piqued his interest. As simple as that. The second reason was the word written on the front in a silver, elegant hand. The word read _Starshine_.

Riff carefully shut the door to his room and sat down on the bed before opening the envelope. This was so that he would not b disturbed and that if it _was_ dangerous, no one else was in immediate danger. Then, taking a deep breath, he opened the envelope quickly and pulled out a sheet of pure white paper.

The ink was deep black and the words were large, exquisitely formed and beautiful to look at. But the handwriting wasn't why Riff's pulse quickened while reading. The words themselves held a beauty and a mystery all their own. Riff fund himself reading them over and over, trying to find some slip, some flaw that betrayed an evil purpose. He could find none. And that left him lost and confused; how could he feel about this? In the end, he put the letter under his pillow and set to his morning duties, yet the words played over and over in his head. The words were as follows;

_My dearest Starshine,_

_Don't be afraid of the words you are about to read. The only thing you have to fear is that you will hide your feelings away and not allow yourself to venture into the awaiting unknown. There is a very simple reason why I have written you this letter; you captivate me. _

_I couldn't bear not letting you know this any longer and this is the simplest way for you to learn to trust me. I know that sounds strange but maybe you will understand, if things turn out the right way. I truly hope that they do. _

_I am the kind of man that doesn't want for much but the one thing I _do_ want is you. I know I am not telling you much but if you are willing to try and find out more, write me a reply and leave it on your windowsill when you fall asleep. Staying awake will just mean I will not collect it. It is not time for you to see me, just yet. _

_I await your decision,_

_Your Shadow._

And Riff had no idea what he should be thinking.

* * *

"Riff?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Riff? Are you okay?"

The silence stretched on and on.

"_Riff!"_

Cain's voice snapped Riff back into alertness and he blushed a little. He _never_ daydreamed. He had been folding his masters clothes away for another night and had suddenly thought about the damned letter and…lost track of anything but the thought.

"Sorry, milord." He said quietly, turning back towards the bed where Cain was lying, snuggled up under the duvet but glaring. He reminded Riff of an angry kitten. With his face lit by the soft light of a solitary candle, I was hard for Riff to image the pain that Cain had been through. That is, until he looked into his eyes. It was always there, lurking behind the façade of arrogance and only really showed when Cain had reason to doubt Riff. The fact that it was showing now made Riff almost cringe with shame.

"What's the matter?" Cain asked, his voice suddenly small. "You've been daydreaming all day."

"I must have got out of the wrong side of bed, milord." Riff replied, smiling. "I'm sure it is nothing to worry about."

Cain smiled back, looking a little relieved. "Well, make sure you get out the right side tomorrow. We're taking Mary shopping and I'll need you to help me keep her from buying the whole shop. Or several shops."

"Of course." Riff inclined his head slightly. "Miss Mary only tries to buy so much because she wants to see how much you are willing to spend, you know."

"Yes, I know." Cain laughed. "I doesn't matter. She knows I'd spend it all."

Riff nodded again and backed out of the room. "Goodnight, milord."

"Goodnight, Riff. Make sure Mary is asleep for me, will you?"

"Of course."

Riff shut the door quietly and padded along the corridor to Mary's room. It was always surprising to strangers that someone so tall could walk so quietly. There was light glowing around the frame of the door as he reached his destination. He knocked once at the door to Mary's room before pushing it open.

"Riff!" Mary squealed and threw herself into her bed, blowing out the candle as she did so. "I'm asleep you know!"

Riff smiled and nodded. "Of course, Miss Mary. I was just checking."

His smile widened as he heard her sigh with relief and he shut the door gently. He then returned to his room. As always, he was the last to bed. He felt a strange sort of satisfaction in knowing that the others were safely tucked away to spend the night in hopefully blissful dreaming.

He felt a sharp stab of guilt as he remembered the letter. Was he inviting danger to Cain and Mary by reading it? How much worse could the situation get if he replied? _What was he going to do about it?_

After a few minutes thinking, Riff reached a decision. He was going to write back. Surely it wasn't dangerous and if it was, he would take full responsibility for anything that happened. It all came down to him being lonely. He loved working for Cain and living with the family. He was perfectly happy with his life, despite it's danger and darkness. But sometimes, especially on cold winter nights like these he felt a need just to hold somebody as he slept, feel a heart beating that wasn't his own, feel someone's breath on his face and know it wasn't a threat.

It had been a long time since anyone had wanted him. Why shouldn't he see where it led?

Riff slowly and methodically undressed, slipping into a long white night shirt. He would never leave the room wearing it, of course, but it made him feel comfortable. He then sat down at his small writing desk and carefully wrote a reply.

_Shadow,_

_Why are you so afraid of letting me find out who you are? How can you expect me to not be afraid when you act in such a way? How did you get the message into my room? And why do you call me Starshine?_

_I know it is unfair to answer with questions but I suppose it shows that I do want to find out more. I do not like being kept in the dark but I do appreciate your extravagance. Just know that if you harm any member of this household I will find you and I will make you pay. You having feelings for me will not change that and I can't feel anything for someone who is just a word on a page, not even a name._

_So, all I can now say is I await your reply and further information. _

Riff stopped writing for a moment, not sure how to end the letter. After a painful moment of deliberation, he gave in to his curiosity and signed it _Starshine. _He then placed the folded letter on the windowsill and, as an afterthought, opened the window slightly.

As he climbed into bed, Riff fought with feelings of guilt, unease, curiosity and just a faint hint of excitement. Nothing so…intimate had happened to him before, not like this and it was a tantalising experience. Slowly, ever so slowly he drifted into a dreamless sleep and became dead to the world.

Around an hour after Riff fell asleep, a pale hand snatched the letter from where it lay. It glanced at Riff who was lying in a sliver of moonlight and then melted back into the shadows.

* * *

**Please review and tell me what you think. I will reply to all of you and reviews make me write faster Thanks for reading anyhow**


	2. Black rose

**SECOND CHAPTER! **

**Sorry for short note here, I am about to get kicked out of the computer room. Reviews are love, thanks to you all!**

**-**

There was another letter. It was on the windowsill like before, in another black envelope but this time something was different; lying on top of the envelope, was a black rose.

Riff hurried across the room and picked it up gently. I was ever so soft to the touch and Riff was confused for a moment but then he realised; the rose was made of feathers. Someone had gone to the trouble of making a realistic looking rose out of feathers.

Riff smiled slightly. It was an odd gift but what should he have expected from someone who visited at night and called himself Shadow? It was beautiful, regardless and Riff laid it on his bed gently, having nowhere else to place it. He then opened the letter.

_My Starshine,_

_I suppose that I am relieved that you are afraid, or nervous. If you hadn't been, you wouldn't be the man I know you to be. As for the household, I would never dream of harming them. They are closer to me than you could imagine of a 'word on a page, not even a name'. _

_I will answer one question for you, and that will be your first. Why am I so afraid of letting you know who I am? Because if you knew, I have the terrible feeling that it would hurt you. I want to give you a chance to learn to love me without being blinded by already held views. _

_So, as you may have guessed you know me. But I won't tell you to what extent. Just know that I know about you and I will be watching you carefully today; try smiling into the shadows, I may just receive it._

_Awaiting your reply with baited breath,_

_Your Shadow_

"Riff!"

Riff stood up and tucked the letter away quickly. He strode to the door and opened it to reveal Mary, all smiles and sweetness. He smiled back at her, despite the confusion about the letter.

"What's the matter Miss Mary?"

"Cain isn't even awake yet!" She said angrily, the force of her words were shocking in comparison to her appearance. "He promised we would go out to make up for his missing our trip _last_ week!"

"I'm sure he hasn't forgotten." Riff smiled and turned her gently around, putting them both out of the room before she could see the rose. "I shall go wake him up now and we will be out of here as soon s possible."

"Thank you Riff!" Mary squealed and then skipped down the corridor back to her room, to finish entwining the pink ribbons into her hair. Riff chuckled and then walked slowly to Cain's room.

Letting his mind wander, he though about this Shadow. He knew who he was but realising that now would hurt him? What did that mean? Riff couldn't think of anyone he really disliked except…the people at Delilah. Another bolt of guilt stabbed through him; what if it really was all a ploy? And yet…Riff tried not to think about it. Surely nobody that evil could write with such eloquence.

He tried to forget about it and went to wake his master, looking forward to the prospect of shopping with Mary…and ready to watch the shadows carefully.

-

Cain looked very tired. Tired, but happy nonetheless. He was slumped in a sofa in one of the expensive shops in the city, while Riff sat beside him. Riff was slightly worried about his master; Cain hadn't seemed so tired in a long time. Was he staying awake at night due to worry? Or was something happening that he hadn't told Riff about?

"Are you feeling well, milord?" Riff asked eventually, when it became clear that Mary would not be done in this shop for quite some time. "You seem somewhat…lethargic today."

"I'm fine, Riff." Cain replied, yawning. "Thank you for asking. I'm just tired is all."

"Have you been sleeping badly milord?"

"No, not badly as such. Just…" Cain shrugged and smiled a little. "I was….afflicted by dreams."

"Bad dreams?"

"No, actually…quite wonderful dreams." He seemed almost to smirk and Riff was suspicious for all of a second, before Cain continued. "The problem with wonderful dreams is that they never let you get enough rest."

Riff smiled back and then allowed them to lapse back into silence. After a few minutes, he chuckled to himself as Cain's head fell softly against his shoulder. The Earl was asleep. At moments like this, it occurred to Riff that Cain really hadn't changed that much since he was a child. Oh, he had grown up and become strong, at least mentally, but underneath he was still a fragile young man who needed to know that if he fell asleep in a hat shop, there would be someone there to watch over him. And Riff was more than happy to be that person.

This was why he was slightly aggravated when Mary skipped back into the room, no less than four hatboxes under her small arms. She laughed openly upon seeing Cain, who sat up with a grunt. He smoothed down his hair and tried to appear controlled, and failed miserably.

"Got hats then, Mary?" He almost slurred, blinking slowly. His sister nodded happily.

"They're beautiful! Where are we going now older brother?"

"Um.." Cain glanced at Riff with a sort of tired desperation. Riff patted his shoulder gently.

"Your brother was going to take you to the dress shop next, Miss Mary. Which one would you like to visit?"

"Ruffles and Laces!" She practically yelled. An older woman of high society glared at them from the corner of the shop. Riff inwardly sighed. It looked like he was in control of the day from now on. He gently tugged Cain to his feet and then propelled him and Mary out of the shop and in the direction of the dress shop. He had the feeling it was going to be a long day but that was fine; there was no one else he would rather spend his day with.

Except…

As they walked, Mary talking loudly while Cain nodded now and then trying to gather his thoughts, they passed a long, narrow alleyway. Like most alleyways in London, it was pitch dark and no end could be seen. Acting on impulse rather than decision, Riff briefly smiled into the shadows as he had been asked. He looked away quickly and met the eyes of Cain, who was smiling gently. Riff smiled back, putting his master's strange expression down to tiredness and ignoring the wrench in his chest such a soft smile gave him.

This wasn't the time to be thinking such things. Hadn't Riff taught himself that years ago?

-

When they had returned to the estate and all the others were safe in bed, Riff brought the letter out from where he had hidden it. This time, he thought before writing.

_Shadow,_

_Thank you for the gift, it was very…appropriate. I shall have to keep it hidden lest someone finds out. If you do prove to be a danger, I don't want to openly show my guilt without meaning to. I hope you caught my smiles today, although I don't know why I hope this is so. I don't know you. Yet, you say I do. _

_Last time, you answered one question. I am going to ask you another one now and beg you to answer it. Why would my views of you already conflict with any that might develop now? I confess to be…flattered by your words. So I thank you for that, too._

_I wait anxiously for your reply, whether you answer my question or not. I will resist the temptation to stay awake and see you. I suppose I will trust you when you say it is better this way. _

_Starshine_

He then folded the letter and placed it by the open window once again. This time, it took him longer to get to sleep. Not only was he haunted by the words in Shadow's letter, he was haunted by the image of Cain's gentle, sleepy smile and what it could have meant…and almost certainly didn't. It was sad to think that he was more likely to be loved by a mysterious stranger than someone he would give his very life for.

Night fell over the estate. Soon the letter was taken and a distant candle was lit… the scratch of quill on paper grew louder as the night wore on.


	3. White rose

**I'm back!**

**Sorry for delay I have been terribly busy and then lost my drive for Godchild fics…first to Saiyuki, then to Gakuen Heaven **_**then**_** to reams of work.**

**Lots of love to all who reviewed, the amount of compliments are enough to make me big headed. 'Phenonemal'? My writing? **_**Me! **_

**Oh and I'll end on saying thanks to my Riffette aka Keiko Hanyou for her review saying 'Wonderful dreams that dont allow you to rest?  
CAIN HAS EROTIC DREAMS! YES! dances I sure hope Riff is in them!' which inspired me to write this XD No erotic dreams though!**

The dreams were back in all their terrible beauty.

Riff had lain awake half of the night trying to keep them away and so hadn't been surprised when there had been no new letter. He wished there had been. It would have given him something to worry about other than his twisted subconscious. 

In his dream, he had been embracing Cain in a way that would never happen in the waking world. The young lord had been smiling beatifically, his hands lightly caressing the muscles of Riff's back. The room around them had been wreathed in shadows, which sometimes coalesced to look like a figure, watching the scandal silently…

If _that_ hadn't been symbolic, Riff didn't know what was.

Riff tried to push the whole business to the back of his mind; he could think about it later, when he wasn't in the company of the object of his confusion. Cain looked tired again this morning and so was even more irritable than usual.

"I don't see why I have to buy another jacket." He grumbled as Riff opened the door to the tailors for him. "They're very expensive for what they are and it's not as though it's _my_ fault it got ruined."

"Whose fault is it then, milord?" Riff asked wearily, too tired and confused to waste much time on manners.

"Christine…whatever her name was." Cain replied promptly. "_She's_ the one that threw the wine all over me. And she could _see_ that I was wearing a white jacket."

"In all fairness, Lord Cain, you had provoked her somewhat. The week before you told her that you wouldn't be attending the party of Miss Isobel at all because of work and then she sees you attending the party with none other than Miss Isobel herself…they do say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Cain just sighed and wandered over to the tailor disconsolately. He quickly placed his order and then loudly complained when he was told that he would need to be measured. Riff ignored his pleas to leave and watched as he was ushered into another room. Once he was out of sight, Riff sat down heavily and let his head drop into his hands. He would let himself think about the dream now. 

First of all…why was he having the dreams again at all? He had talked himself out of them long ago but… maybe it was the letters, putting love back on his mind. Riff had never really known love, or at least he didn't think he had. Not romantic love. Except…a few years before. It had hit him while he had been out walking with Cain. For one moment, he was ready to dance and sing in the sheer beauty of the emotion that overtook him…until he had remembered that Cain was in his care and was a _young boy_ despite acting much older. 

That thought had been enough to stop Riff from contemplating it any further and it had been a few months before the dreams had stopped. He hadn't let himself think about it since then, not once. Perhaps that was why he was so ready to embrace the affections of someone he had never seen or met, because the love he yearned by was so close and so impossible.

"Yes, well, that's the kind of comment I would expect from a _nobleman_ like you." 

Riff turned to see Cain walking towards him, a false smile plastered on his face. Watching him walk away was a young man with a smirk; the tailor himself was watching with impassive eyes. What did it matter to him, if clients fought? As long as he got the money, it was alright. 

"We're leaving, Riff." Cain said simply and Riff rose to his feet, inclining his head slightly.

"Nice dog you've got there, _lord_." The young man shouted after them. "You've got him trained up nicely."

Cain froze. For a moment, everything hung in the balance and Riff could imagine two ways things would go. Either Cain would brush off the comment and they would leave, no more damage done than a bad mood. Or, Cain would do something reckless. The barely controlled anger in his master's eyes led him to believe the latter. 

He watched as if in slow motion as Cain began to turn around, mouth open to send some scornful remark. Without thinking, Riff laid a gentle hand on Cain's arm and sent him a pleading look. 

Time flowed back. Cain stopped turning and sighed. 

"Alright, Riff." He murmured. "Let's just go."

They left the shop in silence and Riff didn't ask what had happened to make the other man so angry; it seemed irrelevant now. He knew only too well that Cain's assumed attitude of arrogance could get him into trouble. It was one of the things that made him so endearing, although that didn't make any sense at all.

Riff sighed. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

* * *

They had finished shopping and Cain had made the simple decision to go and catch up on his sleep. However, such a simple decision had sparked off a tiny mirror of a war.

Mary scowled and glared at the floor. 

"Older brother, this is _stupid_." She stamped one tiny foot for effect and Riff concealed a smile. "I don't _need_ anyone to look after me, you're only going to be in your room."

Cain sighed. "You wouldn't be saying this if it was anyone other than Oscar, would you Mary?"

Oscar stepped forward from where he had been lurking to avoid a fight. "Don't be ridiculous, Cain," he began, "Mary loves m-"

"_He just makes it all worse!_" she practically screamed and everyone took a step back from her lest she should explode. "I can look after myself! Leaving an idiot like Oscar here is just insulting!"

Cain hesitated for a second and then yawned widely. "I'm too tired to argue this Mary. We can fight later if you want. Now, I am just going to sleep."

With that, he left the room where Mary was obstinately avoiding Oscar's attempts to catch her eye. Riff made as though to follow Cain out of the awkward atmosphere but was halted in his tracks.

"Stay here, Riff," he said, turning ever so slightly. "I don't trust the two of them not to wreck the house right now."

"But Lord Cain, I-"

"Besides," Cain smirked. "If I have any problems sleeping I know I can call you."

He gently shut the door to his room leaving Riff more than a little confused. What had the last comment meant? A blush rose inexorably on Riff's cheeks and he made sure to fight it back before turning around.

In the short time he hadn't been paying attention, Mary had managed to throw half the cushions and a lamp at Oscar who was still advancing on her slowly, hands held up in defeat.

"Mary, can't we talk about this?" 

_Thwump._ Another cushion to the head.

Riff leant against the wall in the corner, content just to make sure nothing valuable got broken. Oscar would never learn to give up and Mary would never give in so there was no point intervening. Plus, this gave him a few in hours in which to think.

* * *

The hand was shaking as it formed the few letters to be written onto the tiny scrap of paper. It then moved and brushed the last threads, feathers and dried lumps of adhesive off of the table. A sigh was breathed, full of weariness but the happiness of a job well done. 

A door opened and footsteps padded down a carpeted hallway. Another door was opened, hidden by the noise of something distant smashing. There was a rustle and then the noises repeated.

Finally, the sound of deep breathing filled the air as sleep came.

* * *

Riff was able to retire to his room early as Cain had never returned from his room and Mary had chosen to go to sleep, worn out by fighting with Oscar. A maid was cleaning up the chaos of the sitting room and the other servants knew how to g about their duties; there was really nothing for Riff to do.

He opened his door as usual, walked into his room normally and then froze. A new letter was on the windowsill, along with something white which seemed to glow in the moonlight filtering through the open window.

Riff virtually slammed the door shut, crossed the room hurriedly and tore open the now familiar black envelope.

_My most wonderful Starshine,_

_I appreciated the smile today and thank you for it; it must have been a hard thing for you to do. It proved to me that you aren't hostile towards me as I had feared. That gives me great hope, although I fear our time for talking is running short._

_You know I cannot answer that question. Answering you would tell you who I am, that I am sure of. You wouldn't want to know that. Not yet. Though I am surprised you haven't worked it out already, you're normally so clever in these things. _

_What to write in the final paragraph? I suppose I will leave saying that I am glad you are flattered and also a little sad. I know I cannot expect compliments from you yet but part of me yarns for them, just to know that you feel the way I do. Not that you do, I suppose. You're far too sensible for that._

Here, the name _Shadow_ had been crossed out and another paragraph added underneath in a slightly different ink.

_I could not deliver this letter to you at night as you persisted in staying awake. Was something troubling you, my sweetest angel? If it was me then I am sorry. I hope the new gift makes up for it._

_Shadow._

Riff dropped the letter and picked up the shining white object. It was another rose made from feathers and next to the black one from before, it was breathtaking. Acting on impulse, Riff found a ribbon – an item that always seems to be lying around in wardrobes – and tied them together. He then placed them under his pillow before lying down.

He was worried for a moment; what if sleep brought back those horrible dreams from before? It wouldn't do to think of his master that way, not with two roses lying under his pillow. Cain's words from the day before drifted back to him. 

"_The problem with wonderful dreams is that they never let you get enough rest."_

Riff smiled. That was true, and he was tired…perhaps he would risk it.

As he fell into a doze, someone was watching him from the shadows and as Riff's breathing settled into the steady, unflattering tones of the deeply sleeping, the figure smiled out of the darkness. 

* * *

**Thanks for waiting so long :) Tell me what you think? I believe there will be two chapters after this. **

**Oh and check out the c2 An angel and a devil for more Cain & Riff fics. I feel like I should do my part to spread the word XD**

**If anybody needs a beta reader, check out my beta profile and I'd be more than happy to help if I fit your needs :)**


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